Draft rigging



1,634,398 July 59 19227 G. F. COUCH DRAFT RIGGING Filed Feb. 7. 1925 2 Shams-Sheet 1 I Patented July 5, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

- GLENN I. COUCH, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB TO THE SYIIHGTOH GOI- PANY, OF NEW YORK, IT. Y., A CORPORATION 01' MARYLAND.

DELI! BIGGDIG.

Application filed February 7, 1925. Serial'lio. 7,622.

This invention relates to draft rigging for railway cars and more particularly to connecting means between the coupler and yoke member thereof whereby a desired amount 6 of angling therebetween is permitted.

One of the principal features of my invention, generally considered, is the provision of akey connected coupler and yoke with the key serving to transmit draft forces 10 therebetween and a shim seated on said key and formed so as to permit pivotal motion a between said coupler and key, a swivel block also being provided between the butt of the coupler and a forward portion of the oke for permitting similar pivotal motion between the coupler, swivel block and yoke.

An object of the invention is to provide a swiveling or pivotal connection etween the coupler and yoke members in railway draft rigging in which a shim seated on a key connecting the coupler and yoke serves as a pivoting member instead of a pin extending entirely through the coupler.

Another object of the invention is the pro- 85 vision of a pivotal connection between the coupler and yoke members in railway draft rigging in which a key serves to transmit draft forces between the coupler and yoke, and an intermediate swivel block formed with a forwardlyopening pocket, in which is seated the coupler butt, is provided between the coupler and yoke, the coupler and block being formed with interengaging-faces for transmittin buifing forces from the coupler to the cus ioning mechanism without detriment to said block, said faces being adapted to permit pivotal motion between the coupler and block members.

A further object of the invention is the 4 provision of a swivel block or connecting member between the coupler and yoke in railway draft rigging, which member is formed to permit pivotal motion therebetween and is adapted to engage cushioning mechanism at the rear face thereof.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a pivotal connection between a vertical, yoke and coupler, said yoke being provided with side loops or walls connecting forwardly extending arms thereof and serving to limit the pivotal motion of the coupler with respect thereto, a key passing through said loops and coupler and connecting the same for transmitting draft forces therebetween, a member seated on said key and in a pocket of the coupler for permitting pivotal motion between the key andcoupler, and another member between the coupler butt and cushionin means for transmitting bufiing forces tfierebetween, said member having bearing faces for permltting pivotal motion between it and the coupler as well as between it and the yoke.

The invention further consists in the construction of the several elements to ether with their particular arrangement an combination as will become more apparent as the description proceeds.

In the drawings illustrating my invention, the scope whereof is pointed out in the claims:

Figure 1 is a top 'planview showing a con ler and yoke member connected in accor ance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figure 1, the yoke and key members being shown in vertical section.

- Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 33 of Figure 1 and look ing in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1, parts, however, being shown in central horizontal section.

Figure '5 is a view similar to Figure 2, the parts, however, being shown in vertical lon itudinal, section.

' igure 6 is a vertical longitudinal section of the coupler butt. v

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the pivotal shim.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views, I have s own a coupler 1 connected to a yoke 2 by means of a key 3. The yoke 2 in the present embodiment is shown as of the vertical type, the forwardly'extending arms 4 I 1, for limiting pivotal motion thereof.

The coupler is provided with a slot 11 through which passes the key 3. The rearward portion of the slot 11 is enlarged to form a pocket 12, said pocket being pro-. vided with rear faces formed as cylindrical bearing portions 13, 14 and 15.

A shim 16, sha ed to accurately fit into" block or auxiliary member 24 and from there the rear portion 0 the pocket 12 and formed with correspondingly curved bearing portions 17, 18 and 19 for pivotal engagement with respect to the coupler bearing portions 13, 14 and 15, is provided and seated in said coupler pocket 12, as illustrated most clearly in Figures 4 and 5. The forward face 21 of the shim 16 when positioned in the conpler pocket, 1s substantially flat except where a bearin' pocket 22 is provided for engagement witli respectlto the key member 3. It will be noted that it is necessary to first insert the shim 16 in place in the pocket 12 of the coupler and when the key 3 is passed through the slot 11 therein it serves to lock the shim in place and prevent loss thereof while the parts are assembled.

The rear face or butt portion of the coupler 23 is curved co-axially with respect to the curved portions 13, 14 and 15 of the pocket 12 therein. This curved outer portion of the coupler fits into and engages with a swivel block or auxiliary member 24 between the coupler 1 and yoke2. This member 24 is provided with a co-axially curved bearing portion 25 into which the butt of the coupler ts and bears against.

The auxiliary member or swivel block 24 is provided with forwardly extending arms 26 and 27. The arm 26 is provided with an upwardly extending curved flange 28 and the arm 27 has a similarly curved flan e 29 extending downwardly therefrom. These flanges are co-axially curved with respect to the bearing portion 25 and are arranged ad-' jacent the front edges 31 and 32, respectively, of the forwardly extending arms 4 and 5 of the yoke 2. T ese edges 31 and 32 are curved axially with respect to the flanges 28 and 29 so that pivotal motion between the auxiliary member or swivel block 24 and the oke 2 is permitted. The rear face 33 of tie swivel block 24 is preferably sub stantially flat and adapted for engagement with cushionin mechanism illustrated diagrammatically y dot and dash lines.

It will be evident that by virtue of the aforedescribed construction, a strong and easily manufactured pivotal connection between the coupler and yoke members in railway draft rigging is provided as the shim '16 permits pivotal motion between the coupler 1 and the key member 3 in a substantially horizontal plane by virtue of the en-= gagingcylindrical bearing faces 13, 14 and 15 with 17, 18 and 19, respectively.

When draft forces are applied to the coupler such forces are transmitted first to the shim member 16, then to the key 3, and through said key to the wall portions 6 and 7 of the yoke. When buflin forces, however, are applied to the coupler t e key is relieved of substantially all strains because. such bufling forces are-transmitted to the swivel to the engaging cushioning mechanism. By reason of the pivotal relation between the coupler butt and the service block, a flat and substantially transverse force is always presented to the cushioning mechanism for the eflicient. transference of buffing' forces thereto. Even though the coupler pivots, it always, in eflect, presents a flat face uarely to the cushioning mechanism. It w1ll be noted that on the application of front edge of the key should be engaged by the forward-end of the slot 11. The key, however, at all-times serves to support the coupler, yoke and auxiliar member in horizontal alinement, as will ,e understood.

On account of the coupler 1 being formed to pivot with respect to the swivel block 24, which is likewise shaped for pivotal motion with respect to the yoke 2, a certain .amount of the pivotal motion between coupler and yoke may occur between the coupler and swivel block and the rest between the swivel block and yoke, as will be obvious. If the motion between the coupler and swivel block is in the opposite direction from that between the swivel block and coupler, a transverse orlateral motion of the coupler butt between the side walls 6 and 7 of the yoke, may be effected.

Having now described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a railway draft rigging, the combination with a coupler having a curved bearlng face on the rear end thereof, of a yoke, means extending through said coupler and yoke for transmitting draftforces therebetween, a shim between said coupler and transmitting means permitting pivotal motion therebetween, cushioning mechanism, and an auxiliary member between the rear end of .the coupler and the cushioning mechanism, presenting a flat face to the cushioning mechanism and a curved cooperating bearing face to the bearing face on the coupler.

2. In a railway draft rigging, the combination with a coupler, of a yoke, a cushioning means within said yoke, means ex tending through said coupler and yoke for transmitting draft forces therebetween, a shim ,betwen said coupler and transmittingbutting forces it is not intended that the between, said shim means permitting pivotal motion therebetween, and a swivel block between said coupler and yoke for transmitting buffing forces to said cushioning means and permitting pivotal motion between the coupler and yoke.

3. In a railway draft rigging, the combi nation with a slotted coupler,.of a slotted yoke, cushioning mechanism embraced by said yoke, a key adapted to pass through said slots between said coupler and yoke, a

shim seated in said coupler and both provided with correspondingly curved cooperating bearing faces for pivotal motion thereengaging the key and both shim and key provided with correspondingly curved cooperating bearing faces, and an auxiliary member between said cou ler and cushioning mechanism, the en- -21 gaging faces of the member. and coupler being formed as bearings coaxial with the bearing faces on the shim.

4. In a railway draft rig ing, the combination with a slotted coupfier,

asyoke, a key adapted to pass through said slots, a shim seated in said coupler and both shim and coupler provided with correspondingly curvedco-operating bearing faces permittin pivotal motion therebetween, said shim also engaging the key and both provided with corresponding bearing faces,.and a swivel block between said coupler and yoke allowing pivotal motion therebetween.

5. In a railway draft rigging, the combination with a slotted coupler, of a slotted yoke, a key adapted to pass through said slots for connecting said coupler and yoke, a

shim seated in said coupler and both provided with curved bearing faces permitting pivotal motion therebetween, said shim also engaging the key and both provided with cooperating bearing faces, and a swivel block between said coupler and yoke and provided with curved cooperating-bearin' faces engagingc'similar bearing faces on sa1d cou ler and yo e for permitting pivotal motion etween said coupler, swivel block and yoke.

6. In a railway draft rig ing, the combination with a slotted coup er, of a slotted yoke, a key adapted to pass through said slots to connect said coupler and yoke, a shim seated in a pocket in said coupler and formed with a curved cooperating bearing face engaging a similarly curved bearing face in said pocket for pivotal motion therebetween,

said shim,also engaging the key, and a swivel block between said coupler and yoke, said swivel block being formed with a curved bearing face .for pivotal motion with respect to the coupler.

7. In a railway draft rigging, the combination with a coupler, of a yoke, means extending through said coupler and yoke for 'transmitt' draft forces therebetween, a shim mem or between said coupler and of a slotted transmitting means permitting pivotal mo-.

tion therebetween, and a swivel block be tween said coupler and yoke for permitting pivotal motion therebetween, said swivelcorrespondingly curved cooperating bearing faces for pivotal motion therebetween, and correspondingly curved cooperating bearing faces also provided on the swivel block and yoke for similar motion between said block and yoke, said block having a rear substantially flat face adapted for engagement with cushioning mechanism.

9. In a railway. 'draft rigging, the combination with a slotted coupler having a curved butt portion, of a slotted yoke, a ey passing. through said slots and connecting said coupler and yoke, and a swivel block with a curved'bearingpocket embracing the curved butt-of the coupler for pivotal motion therebetween.

10. In a railway draft rigging, the combination with a coupler having a curved butt portion, of a yoke with forwardly extending arms with curved front edges, '2. key con- 11. coupler provided with a butt portion formed with arear wall, the outer face of which is formed as a cylindrical bearing for pivotal motion with respect to a yoke and slotted for being connected to said yoke by means of a key and providing bearingportions for said key.

12. A coupler provided with a butt portion, the rear wall of which is curved as a cylindrical bearing for pivotal motion with respect to a yoke and formed with a pocket in the stem thereof, the inner face of said pocket being coaxially curved with respect.

to the rear wall for engagement with a correspondingly curved shim and slotted for receiving a connecting key which is also adapted to lock said shim in place. I

13. A yoke formed with a four-walled forward end, two opposite wallsbeing slotted to receive a key and the other two walls being formed with cylindrical edges for permitting pivotal engagement with respect to a coupler.

14. A yoke provided with a, four-Walled integral construction at its forward end join- 5 ing forwardly extending arms thereof, two

opposite walls being slotted for the reception of a horizontal key for joining said yoke to a coupler, and the other two walls bein formed at the forward edges thereof witl i co-a xially curved bearing portions for horim zontal pivotal movement with respect to the coupler.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

' GLENN F. COUCH; 

